Labor Unions

By now (assuming most people who are bored to the point of reading my blog have already exhausted cnn.com and other websites first), you have all probably heard about the MTA strike that started at 3AM today here in New York. Basically, all of the public buses and the subway system are completely shut down.

I'm one of the lucky ones - a door-to-door walk to work of about 18 minutes. But I have co-workers who have to walk twice that long. I haven't talked to some other friends, but I'm sure there are many people who are either walking 30+ minutes to work (in wind-chill temperatures in the low-teens) or are spending $15 or $20 each way to take a cab that they don't even get to themselves. Less fortunate people who live in Brooklyn have to walk all the way across the bridge to get to work.

Admittedly, I don't know the whole story behind the strike. Something about pay raises (I believe the union is seeking an 8% annual raise), health benefits (currently, workers pay no premium for basic coverage - $0), disciplinary action and retirement age (currently workers get 50% of their salary as pension starting at age 55...how many of you have parents who are 55+, and how many of them have retired?). It sure seems to me that the union leadership picked a GREAT time to walk off the job. Sure, why not let millions of people walk around in freezing temperatures while we sit on our fat, lazy asses to try to get more money? Tourists having trouble getting around the city? Welcome to New York bitches! God forbid we should have to work past the ripe-old age of 55 or pay 2% of our salary for healthcare.

I f'ing hate unionized labor!